Hybrid IT Tops Enterprises’ Network Agenda in 2017

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --New research conducted by TechTarget and sponsored byLevel 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE:LVLT, news, filings) indicates enterprises will make major improvements to their network connectivity in 2017 to support hybrid IT, the flexible use of private and cloud-based IT resources to improve operational performance.

Hybrid IT is either very or somewhat familiar to the vast majority of IT and networking audiences, with its primary benefits being agility (59 percent), alignment between IT and business goals (53 percent), application availability/performance (42 percent) and security (37 percent).

Nearly half of survey respondents are using cloud services for tier one workloads, a strong indication that cloud computing is at the heart of many organizations' digital transformation efforts.

Security, reliable uptime, bandwidth capabilities and low latency are the top features respondents look for in their enterprise networks when accessing cloud services.

For the most part, enterprises are reasonably satisfied with how their networks deliver on their most-cited network requirements, although relatively few of them admit to being highly satisfied. Level 3 asked respondents to rate the importance of a variety of features as well as their satisfaction with service provider performance of those features, and found on average an 11 percent lower satisfaction rating than importance rating.

Enterprises have not yet dramatically transformed their network connectivity for cloud and hybrid IT, but they do expect to make major improvements to their network connectivity over the coming 12 months.

"Hybrid IT is foundational to a successful digital transformation. To bolster their hybrid IT programs, enterprises need to leverage the new technologies available to upgrade their network infrastructure for greater security, flexibility and automation."

For more information on Level 3's advanced network and service offerings, visit www.level3.com.

About Level 3 Communications

Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) is a Fortune 500 company that provides local, national and global communications services to enterprise, government and carrier customers. Level 3's comprehensive portfolio of secure, managed solutions includes fiber and infrastructure solutions; IP-based voice and data communications; wide-area Ethernet services; video and content distribution; data center and cloud-based solutions. Level 3 serves customers in more than 500 markets in over 60 countries across a global services platform anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected by extensive undersea facilities. For more information, please visit www.level3.com or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Some statements made in this press release are forward-looking in nature and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. Important factors that could prevent Level 3 from achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to: increase revenue from its services to realize its targets for financial and operating performance; develop and maintain effective business support systems; manage system and network failures or disruptions; avert the breach of its network and computer system security measures; develop new services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; manage the future expansion or adaptation of its network to remain competitive; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights; manage risks associated with continued uncertainty in the global economy; manage continued or accelerated decreases in market pricing for communications services; obtain capacity for its network from other providers and interconnect its network with other networks on favorable terms; successfully integrate future acquisitions; effectively manage political, legal, regulatory, foreign currency and other risks it is exposed to due to its substantial international operations; mitigate its exposure to contingent liabilities; and meet all of the terms and conditions of its debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important factors. Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.